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It has been a tough year in the automotive world. Two of our country's three largest manufacturers have gone through bankruptcy, hundreds of thousands of people in automotive related industries have lost their jobs and, outside of the ill-advised "Cash for Clunkers" program, sales were down even from last year's depressed numbers.

Even hobbyists and enthusiasts have been hit. Vintage muscle car prices have taken a meteoric drop, professional racing has seen fewer teams and entrants and several events were postponed or cancelled.

For all of us who live in this northern climate, the collector car driving season is about to come to an end. (For those who trailer their cars everywhere, it doesn't really matter; no need to read further.) Many of us are getting in a few more fall driving tours before the white stuff arrives. Actually, it's not the white stuff in the sky that bothers me as much as the white stuff on the roadsalt! Once snow starts to accumulate on the roads the driving season is officially over. I follow the usual basic steps when putting my collector cars away for the winter. I make sure the anti-freeze is fresh and radiator full and I always add a no-rust product. The gasoline tank is full and I add appropriate amounts of Marvel Mystery Oil and Sta-Bil. I have battery disconnect switches on all of my cars, but it's not a bad idea to remove the car's battery if your garage gets really cold. For the interior, I place a container of moth balls in the front and back. I don't take any chances with critters chomping on the wool upholstery. Some collectors place their cars on blocks for the winter. Since I regularly start my cars and drive them if the weather permits, I don't place them on blocks. For extended storage, i.e. several months, I recommend doing this. I always make sure the cars are cleanno road film or dirtand I cover the cars with light covers. There are additional favorite winter storage suggestions I haven't listed here; these are the basics. What do you recommend?

Most collector car owners know how difficult it can sometimes be to fix and maintain clocks in vintage vehicles. The mechanical movements and points of these clocks typically wear out after only a few years of service, but now there is now an easy way to greatly extend the life of your clock it's called the Clock Tender.